5.8 Campaign Finance

Announcements:

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Essential Question: Does money=speech?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.E: Explain how the organization, finance, and strategies of national political campaigns affect the election process.

PRD-2.E.1: Federal legislation and case law pertaining to campaign finance demonstrate the ongoing debate over the role of money in political and free speech, as set forth in:

• Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which was an effort to ban soft money and reduce attack ads with “Stand by Your Ad” provision: “I’m [candidate’s name] and I approve this message”
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), which ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment

PRD-2.E.2: Debates have increased over free speech and competitive and fair elections related to money and campaign funding (including contributions from individuals, PACs, and political parties).

PRD-2.E.3: Different types of political action committees (PACs) influence elections and policy making through fundraising and spending.

Campaign Finance

How much did the 2016 elections cost? Read this article to find out. Is this a good use of people's money?

1. "Money is the mother's milk of politics."  Discuss in your group what you think this quote means.

2. Look at the chart below. Discuss in your group any observations you can make from the data (2014 data incomplete).

3. Look at the infographic below. Discuss in your group three key takeaways.

4. What is the message of the political cartoon below?

Many people complain about the role of money in campaigns and elections. Today, we will be looking at how the government has tried to regulate campaign spending.

Discussion Questions:

• Should there be limits on how much an individual, business, or interest group can donate to a candidate?
• Should there be limits on how much an individual can spend on their own campaign?
• Should there be public financing of campaigns at either the presidential or congressional levels?
• Does money=speech?

Your Task: What are the rules concerning political contributions? What laws have been passed? What has the Supreme Court said? How is it regulated? Create a timeline that illustrates the government's attempt to limit the proliferation of money in campaigns using the following legislative acts, court cases, government agencies, and related terms.

Key Terms: FECA, BCRA, soft money, FEC, McCutcheon v. FEC, Buckley v. Valeo, McConnell v. FEC, Citizens United v. FEC, SuperPACs

Recommended websites & videos:
Oyez
FEC
PBS: Understanding Campaign Finance Laws

Boundless: The Role of Money in Campaigns and Elections

5.10 Modern Campaigns

Announcements:

Reminder: EIP Applications and recommendation forms due this Friday. No late submissions considered.

HB 1508 School Outreach Spreadsheet

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Essential Question: How are modern campaigns organized today and how does that differ from the past?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.D: Explain how campaign organizations and strategies affect the election process.

PRD-2.D.1: The benefits and drawbacks of modern campaigns are represented by:

• Dependence on professional consultants
• Rising campaign costs and intensive fundraising efforts
• Duration of election cycles
• Impact of and reliance on social media for campaign communication and fundraising

Modern Campaigns

Political campaigns today are much different than they were one-hundred years ago, or even fifty years ago. Read the following articles/explainers on modern political campaigns and how they have changed.

Boundless: The Modern Campaign
Khan Academy: Modern Campaigns
Campaigns Without End: Today's presidential marathons took root in 1968
How will the Internet change political advertising?
Diggit Magazine: Social Media-Trump's Key to Success

After reading the above articles, explain in your notes how modern campaigns today are different from past campaigns in each of the following areas:

Duration:

Cost:

Social Media:

Professional consultants:


Trump and the Use of Twitter 






Review Videos:

5.7 The Incumbency Advantage: Why Do We Keep Electing the Same Members Back to Congress?

Announcements:

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Essential Question: Why do members of Congress keep getting re-elected if they have such low approval ratings?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.C: Explain how the different processes work in U.S. congressional elections.

PRD-2.C.1: The process and outcomes in U.S. Congressional elections are impacted by:

• Incumbency advantage phenomenon
• General (presidential and midterm) elections

Congressional Incumbency Advantage
The approval rating for Congress is currently in the mid-teens. Despite this low number, most members of Congress (typically over 90%) will be re-elected next year. How is this possible?

What are two observations you can make from the data below?

Key Term: Incumbent=the current office holder seeking reelection.





Additional Readings:

Boundless: The Power of Incumbency

The Advantages of Incumbency in Congressional Elections

Why Incumbents Rarely Lose

People Hate Congress. But Most Incumbents Get Re-elected. What Gives?

Information courtesy of Center for Responsive Politics

Review Videos:

5.6 Arguments in Favor & Against the Electoral College

Announcements:

FLEXIBLE LEARNING DAY! Please read a few of the articles and/or watch a few of the videos (see below) on keeping or abolishing the Electoral College.

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Essential Question: What are the arguments for and against the Electoral College?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.B: Explain how the Electoral College impacts democratic participation.
PRD-2.B.1: The winner-take-all allocation of votes per state (except Maine and Nebraska) under the setup of the Electoral College compared with the national popular vote for president raises questions about whether the Electoral College facilitates or impedes democracy.

The Electoral College

As a continuation of our examination of the Electoral College, today we are going to look at some of the arguments both for and against keeping this system of electing our president.

Read at least four (2 for, 2 against) from the list below and watch several of the videos on the Electoral College.



Articles

The Electoral College is Undemocratic? Of course. That's why it works

You'll hear these four arguments defending the Electoral College. They're wrong.

Getting Rid of the Electoral College isn't Just About Trump

A Case for the Electoral College

The Electoral College is the Worst of Both Worlds

In Defense of the Electoral College

Slate.com: Defending the Electoral College

Ten Reasons Why the Electoral College is a Problem

LA Times: The Founders' Choice: The Electoral College

Politico: Electoral College Keeps Elections Fair

Forbes: It's Time to Abolish the Electoral College



Videos

iCivics: Win the White House

Announcements:

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Question: How does one win the presidency?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.B: Explain how the Electoral College impacts democratic participation.
PRD-2.B.1: The winner-take-all allocation of votes per state (except Maine and Nebraska) under the setup of the Electoral College compared with the national popular vote for president raises questions about whether the Electoral College facilitates or impedes democracy.

Win the White House
This past week, you read about the early stages of the presidential selection process and how the Electoral College works.

Today, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and skills as you try to win the presidency in the Electoral College.

iCivics Win the White House: A pretty comprehensive game that takes you through the presidential race. Create an account to be able to save your progress and compete against friends.

• Follow the instructions and try to win the presidency.
• The first (nomination) stage is selecting your candidate, party, and issues. Make sure you understand the positions that your candidate is taking on the issues. It will be important to match them up on the campaign trail and take the correct stand. You will also need to understand them during your debate in the nomination stage.
• The second stage is the general election campaign. You will need to fundraise each round and then use the money for polling, media events, or campaign ads. 
• Make sure to pay attention to polling numbers and momentum. Campaign in the states that you have a chance of winning, but don't neglect the states where you have a lead.
• Good luck! There will be a prize for the student who does the best! Screen shot your final tally and tweet at me your Electoral College victory.

5.5 The Electoral College

Announcements:

Guidance Counselors will be here today to help with registration for next year.

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Essential Question: How does the Electoral College work (or doesn't work)?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.B: Explain how the Electoral College impacts democratic participation.
PRD-2.B.1: The winner-take-all allocation of votes per state (except Maine and Nebraska) under the setup of the Electoral College compared with the national popular vote for president raises questions about whether the Electoral College facilitates or impedes democracy.

The Electoral College

The Electoral College is probably the least understood aspect of the American political system and is often criticized for its archaic rules and numerous flaws. Today, you will be examining this process and trying to make sense of how it operates. Please answer these questions using the resources/links below, or others that you find on your own. Your goal is to become an expert on the Electoral College. We will also be evaluating whether or not to keep, modify, or eliminate the Electoral College.



US Archives on Electoral College

How The Electoral College Works

History Channel: Electoral College

US Constitution: Electoral College

5.4 The Path to the Presidency: Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions!

Announcements:
What a week for political news. Catch up on some of the most important events below.

• Impeachment Vote: Senate votes to acquit Trump
• State of the Union Coverage
• Iowa Caucus: Buttigieg and Sanders claim victory

READING: 243-281 in Edwards

Unit Five Identification Terms

Today's Essential Question: How do we determine who the candidates for president will be?

Learning Standards:

PRD-2.A: Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election.

PRD-2.A.1: The process and outcomes in U.S. presidential elections are impacted by:

• Incumbency advantage phenomenon
• Open and closed primaries w Caucuses
• Party conventions
• Congressional and State elections
• The Electoral College

The Path to the Presidency

Who will be our next president? The race for 2020 is underway with nearly a dozen Democratic candidates and the Iowa caucus completed. Will there be a Republican challenger to Trump?

The 2016 presidential election cycle started with five candidates for the Democratic Party nomination and more than three times that many for the Republican nomination. The question for today is, how did we end up with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, two of the most unpopular candidates of all time, end up as the two nominees? Meaning, how do the parties determine their party's nominee for the president?

The nomination process is a long and confusing series of elections run by the states. As a result of individual decisions made by the states (thanks federalism) and differences in party apparatus, there is no centralized answer to the question. Today, we will attempt to understand (as best we can) the general formula for the presidential nominating process

Task #1: Read
1.The US Presidential Nominating Process
2. Everything You Need to Know About How the Presidential Primary Works and
3. OpenStax: The Presidential Selection Process (just the Selecting the Candidate part)

After reading (or during reading), please answer the following questions in your notes:
1. What is the difference between a primary and a caucus? What does Missouri use?
2. Why are New Hampshire and Iowa so important in the nomination process?
3. What is "front-loading"? How are the political parties trying to limit it?
4. How is the presidential selection process different today than it was in the 19th century? How has that change affected the party nominees?

Task #2: Primary elections and the general election are two different types of elections. Look at this infographic on  primary voters vs. the general election (NY Times Infographic) and explain the significant difference and how this can impact campaign strategy for the general election.


Task #3: Review this PowerPoint including the videos on the presidential selection process.




Review Videos: